The Forestry Forum

Hi Folks,
My question is about what to use to clean blades that have some pitch on them before sharpening them.
I know there have been topics about this and I did a search but I guess I used the wrong terms because I came up empty. Anyway I hope nobody minds talking about this again.

I know diesel fuel will clean them but since I am doing this in my cellar I was hoping for something a bit less smelly. Don't want to upset the Mrs.

Looking forward to hear what everyone uses.

Thanks,
Mike

I try to remember to spray up my blades and run them a little before I take them off to have them clean before sharpening.  If I forget or there is a lot of buildup that doesnt come off I just take a scraper to them and push it off.  My woodmizer sharpener is pretty forgiving of buildup arount the tip but doesn't like a blade that has gunk all around.  Remember to watch for any stuff right in the bottem of the tooth face gillet area as that will cause the sharpener to push the blade too far and change the geometry fo that tooth.  By the way way back when I started I added lestoil to the water in the sharpener to clean the blades but that wiped the bearings out of the sharpener motor and ruined the pump so.......... :o

Thanks Woodmills,
I always keep an eye on the gullets. I learned that one the hard way with a blade that hit metal. The metal stuck to the tooth and broke the stone when it went down to grind the tooth.
Mike

Clean them before you take them off the mill
Open your lube full, and run the blade,I use a hardwood stick w/ a cotton rag and run it over both faces of the blade.
I use Dawn or octagon diswashing liquid in my lube, about two tablespoons per tank full,it does a great job...

                     Bull..